Riyadh: Saudi Arabia issued an emergency warning for Mecca, Jeddah and Taif on Tuesday amid reports of Houthi ballistic missile attacks along the kingdom’s western coast.
The alert urged residents to move indoors, avoid open and crowded areas and follow safety instructions. It was later lifted after authorities said the danger in Mecca had passed.
The warning marked a rare security alert for Mecca, home to Islam’s holiest site, raising concerns over the expanding reach of the Yemen-based Iran-backed Houthi group.
The alerts followed missile and drone attacks on Saudi targets a day earlier that reportedly injured 13 people in the kingdom’s south. Several other locations, including Jeddah, Abha, Jazan, AlUla, Taif and Yanbu, also reportedly received warnings.
The situation has intensified after the Houthis claimed control of parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and strategic islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Their advances have heightened concerns over maritime traffic and regional security.
Saudi forces have also carried out strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen as tensions continue to rise.